Ruling-machine.



R. 0. STEVENS. RULING' MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. 0. STEVENS} BULING MAGHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JULY 22, 1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

' ZSHBBTB-SHEET 2.

RAYMOND C. STEVENS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

RULING-MA CHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Serial No. 444,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND C. STEVENS, citizen of the United States,residing at bt. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Ivlinnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruling-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ruling machines, and has for its object toprovide an improved machine for ruling a series of parallel lines, saidlines being either straight or aved. The device may also be used forcutting strips of paper or other material, by the substitution of acutting blade for the pen or pencil. Provision is also made for rulinglines either perpendicular or at an angle to the edge of the board orsheet. By means of a screw device the ruler is or may be moved an equaldistance at each operation, in order to make the parallel lines the samedistance apart.

The construction and arrangement of the implenient and its parts will bemore fully apparent from the following description and theaccompanyii'ig drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of thedevice; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, showing the screw in sideelevation; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is asection onthe line ll of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective. Fig.(3 is a detail of the turning device for the spacing screw.

Referring specifically to the drawings, (3 indicates a non-traveliugscrew which is supported at its ends in bearings in brackets 7 which areprovided with jaws 8 to fit over the edge of a drawing board and withthumb screws 9 whereby the brackets may be clamped to the edge of theboard. The screw is turned bymeans of a lever 10 which is loose on oneend thereof and which carries a pawl 11 engaging a ratchet 12 fast onthe spindle of the screw. The extent to which the ratchet wheel andscrew are turned at each operation is controlled by a stop 13 adjustablealong a segment 14L fastened to one of the brackets. hen the lever isdrawn back it strikes the adjustable stop, and when the lever isadvanced it strikes a fixed stop 15, whereby equal movement of the ruleris obtained.

A bar 16 extends betweenthe brackets and is rigidly fixed thereto, andthis bar has a dove-tailed groove 17 in which slides a tongue 18 on theunder side of a block 19. Hinged to this block at 20 is a half nut 21,

with threads arranged to engage the threads of the screw, and this nutpressed by a spring 23 so that it is normally in engagement with thescrew, but by pulling back on the knob the nut may be swung out from thescrew and disengaged, and the block thereby moved to any desiredposit-ion.

The ruler is indicated at 2st, and it is connected by a pivotal joint 25to the inner end. of the block 19 and is held atadjustment by a screw 26which works in a segment-slot 217 in the block, the end of the rulerbeing set in a ra'bbet on the under side of the block.

The ruler 24: has a dove-tailed groove 28 extending lengthwise along thetop thereof, and this groove receives a tongue 29 on the under side of ablock 30 which is slidable lengthwise along the ruler. This block has apiece or arm 31 hinged thereto by a vertical pin 82, so that the arm maybe swung in or out, and this arm carries a pencil holder 83. The arm ishinged to a piece 3 which is fastened to the block by a cap screwExtending lengthwise along the ruler above the top thereof a rod 36which may be turned by a knob 37 at one end thereof, the knob beingsupported in bearings 38 at the opposite ends of the ruler. The rod hassymmetrical projections as indicated at 39 extending along the same, andforming a wavy outline. The projections of each line are synnnetrical,and there are four lines of projection, the projections of each linebeing different so as to form a. different outline. By turning the knob37 any line of projections may be brought in position for action. Therod extends freely through an enlarged recess 1 in the block 30.

The hinged arm 31 is pressed by a spring 41 which is fastened to theside of the piece 34, and said arm has a transverse follower screw l2the point of which bears against the rod 36, or the projections 39thereon, and as the block is slid along the ruler will follow saidprojections and vibrate the arm '31 accordingly, the spring ll holdingthe point of the screw against the red. The arm 31 also has at its freeend a vertical gage screw 4:3, with a round point, which may be againstmovement by a screw 44 extending through a plate 45 across the hingejoint. This makes the arm rigid with the block 30, and is useful inruling or cutting a straight line.

In operation, the instrument is clamped to the drawing board havingthereon the sheet to be ruled or cut. The half nut 21 is disengaged andthe ruler is slid along to proper position for the commencement of theoperation, and then the nut is allowed to engage the screw. The pencil,pen or cutter is inserted in the holder 33 and the gage screw 43 isadjusted to produce the proper contact with the paper. For a Wavy linethe screw 44 is released, allowing the point of the follower 42 to bearagainst the row of projections, the rod 36 being turned to bring thedesired row of projections into position for action. Then by sliding theblock 30 along the ruler a wavy line is produced corresponding to theprojections on the rod. After each line, the lever 10 is operated toturn the screw and shift the ruler the desired distance, and anotherline ruled, and so on. To rule straight lines, the screw 42 is backedout until it does not touch the rod, and the hinged arm 31 is locked bythe screw 44. Then by inserting a pen or other device in the holder andmoving the block 30 along, a straight line is produced, and theoperation may be repeated indefinitely as indicated.

The machine will be found very useful for draftsmen in ruling sectionand other parallel lines. By using a cutter instead of a pencil, it isalso adapted for use in cutting strips of any sheet material. Obliquelines are produced by swinging the ruler 011 its pivot 25 and fasteningthe same by the set screw 26, at the desired angle.

I claim:

1. In a ruling machine, in combination, a non-traveling rotatable screw,a guide bar parallel thereto, a block movable along the bar, a nutmounted on the block and movable to engage or disengage the screw, and aruler connected to the block.

2. In a ruling machine, in combination, brackets attachable to a boardor the like, a non-traveling rotatable screw mounted thereon andprovided with a ratchet, a lever having a pawl engageable with theratchet to turn the screw, stops for the lever, mounted on one of thebrackets, one of the stops being adjustable, and a ruler operativelyconnected to the screw, whereby the ruler is shifted when the screw isturned.

3. In a ruling machine, in combination, a ruler, a block slidable alongthe same and having an arm hinged thereto and provided with a holder fora pencil or the like, a pattern rod extending along the ruler, and afollower carried by the arm and movable along the pattern rod andconstructed to cause the arm to move according to the pattern.

4. In a ruling machine, in combination, a ruler, a block slidable alongthe same, an arm pivotally connected to the block and provided with aholder for a pencil or like tool, and a gage carried by the arm inposition to bear upon the work and ad ustable to vary the position ofthe tool with respect to the work.

5. In a ruling machine, in combination, a ruler, a block slidable alongthe same, an arm pivotally connected thereto for vertical variation ofposition, a piece hinged to the arm for horizontal variation of positionanl provided with a holder for a pencil or other tool, and means toadjust and control such variation of position.

6. In a ruling machine, in combination, a ruler, a block slidable alongthe same and having a movable member provided with a holder for a tool,a rod extending parallel to the ruler and having various patternsthereon, the rod being rotatable to present any one of said patternstoward the arm, and means to cause the said member to follow theselected pattern as the block is slid along the ruler.

7. In a ruling machine, in combination, a ruler, a block slidable alongthe same, an arm provided with a holder for a pencil or other tool, andpivoted to the block for lateral movement, a pattern rod extending alongthe ruler, a follower screw carried by the arm and bearing against thepattern, and means to hold the screw in yielding contact with thepattern.

8. In a ruling machine, the combination of a ruler, a pattern extendingalong the same, a block slidable along the ruler beside the pattern, amember pivotally connected to the block to swing up and down, an armhaving a tool holder and hinged to said member to swing laterally, meansto lock the hinge, a follower carried by the arm, means to press thefollower yieldingly against the pattern when desired, and a gage carriedby the arm, to vary its distance from the work.

9. In a ruling machine, in combination, a non-traveling rotatable screw,a guide bar parallel thereto, a block movable along the guide, a rulerconnected to the block, a half nut hinged to the block and adapted toengage or disengage the screw, and a spring pressing the nut toengagement with the screw.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMOND C. STEVENS.

Witnesses GEORGE STEVENS, B. WV. DISNEY.

